There is little affection left as Valtteri Bottas prepares to end his tenure with Audi-owned Sauber after a "sh*t" season.
In a difficult and, at times, humiliating campaign for the 10-time Mercedes race winner, Bottas finds himself alongside sacked Williams driver Logan Sargeant as the only competitors to have failed to score a single point in 2024.
Meanwhile, Bottas's departing teammate Guanyu Zhou managed to secure four points with a P8 finish in Qatar and is now linked with potential test roles at Ferrari or Red Bull for 2025.
Adding to the drama, Bottas shared a candid moment on social media this week, posting a picture of himself laughing with the caption: "When I got told I'll score points in 2024."
In another post, the 35-year-old Finnish driver suggested he felt used by the team during the Qatar race. "The team pitted me early to learn about the performance of the hard tyre for Zhou's race," he wrote.
"It's been a sh*t year," he added. "And his (Zhou's) P8 is a well-deserved result for everyone who has worked so hard this season.
"In any case, one more week to go, I'll give it my all. And I can't wait for what's next."
Speaking to reporters before leaving Qatar, Bottas also criticised the timing of the team's car upgrades.
"It's very late in the season and we've been waiting for these improvements for a long, long time," he said. "So it's kind of ironic, but it is what it is.
"However, I am happy for Zhou and the team. Everyone deserves at least a couple of points. Nobody wants to be the team that doesn't get them, so at least that curse has been removed. But I still have zero points, which is not a great feeling."
Bottas is widely rumoured to be returning to Mercedes next season to replace Mick Schumacher as reserve driver.
